Knitting machine



Feb. 26; 1935. STEWART 1,992,641

KNITTING MACHINE Filed g 1923 3 Sheebs-Shet 1 I/NVENT'OR Feb. 26, 1935. v A, E STI'EWART 1 ,992,641

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Augf'T, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 2 5? INVENTOR Feb. 26, 1935. A. E. STEWART KNITTING MACHINE Fil'ed Aug. 7, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f/VVENTOR- v I v pointed out in the'appended claims.

Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED- STATES KNITTING MACHINE shire Application August 7.192 3; Serial No. 6563,160

14 Claims. (01166-133) This invention relates to knitting machines and more'especially' to the thread feeding mechanisms of such. machines.

In the knitting of womens'hosieryit has beencustomary to' reinforce that portion. of the hose immediately above the heel, this reinforcement being commonly referred to" in the trade as a high splice. It has alsobeen proposed to make this splice or reinforcement very narrow at the top and gradually-increase its width as it approache's'the heel, thus. producing what is known as-a tapered high splice. The present invention is especially concerned with the production of a splice or reinforcement of this character, although it is also contemplated that the mechanism used in making sucha splice can be used-in other types of machines than hosiery knitting machines. It is-the chief object of the invention to devise a simple and reliable mechanism for producing a splice or reinforcement of the character above de scribed.

The invention will be herein disclosed as embodied in a circular, hosiery knitting machine of the character shown and described in Canadian Patent No. 200,057, granted May 11,1920, and it is an object of the invention to devise an attach ment for this machine with the aid of which a tapered highsplice can be produced automatically while, at the same time, retaining all the other advantages of the machine.

The nature of the invention will be'readily understood from the following description when Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 showing the entire thread feeding mechanism provided by this invention, certain partsof the machine, however, being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the more important parts of the mechanism that controls the'period of operation ofthe reinforcing thread feeding device in each knitting course; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig.4; and

Fig. 6 is a'plan view of one of the cam members used in the machine;

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2.

particularly cylinder 2acarrying .a,series of needles one of whichzis shown-indotted lines at 3 in Fig.2. A

detailed description 'of'themachine is unnecessary to an understanding of the present invention-,, butreference-should be made for sucha descriptionto the patentaboyedesignated; The rein-- forcing thread feeding-device is indicated at 4; Fig; 2. It comprisesa lever fulcrumed on the machine frame at 5 andtprovided at its lower end with a thread guiding eye through which the reinforcing thread'is guided to-the needles. A spring 6 tendstahold'this device inits operative position. as ,shown in .',Fig'-.,,-2,=,where itwill feed thread to the needles, but it"can be: moved towardthe right, Fig. 2;into an inoperative positionwhere iii-holds the thread out of the range; of, 30- tion of the needles. For this purpose a" lever '7v is fulcrumed on'angarm 8 which-ispivoted' on the machine frame-at 10w Theupper end of'this lever isarranged tobearagainst the lower part of the thread feeding device or finger 4, while the lower: end ofthe lever is=connectedby1a.link;,12, .bell

crank-Myand rod 1-5 tof;alever 16'which isrful crumed'on'the machine frame at'l'l'. I

In this machine the stockingis-knit from the top toward" the toe. and thethread feeding device is moved both into and out ofits operative posi'. tion during each knitting coursewhile the splice is being madepthe length 'of time whichiit remains-in its thread feeding position'being gradually increased sothat it supplies thread at first to a very few needles and graduallyincreasesthe' number of nee'dlesso "supplied, in successive knit-' ting courses untilasplice of themaximum width is produced. .i t

t For this purpose the lever 16'is rocked by two cam. memlbers which jointly act to determine the period of: operation 'of the thread feeding device in each knitting course. 1 Referring moretp'articularlytoFigs. 4 and 5, these cam members are indicated at 20- and:.2l, respectively; A roll 22 mounted-onithe right-hand end, Figs: 2 and 4, of the lever 16 runs'o'n'theperipheral surfaces of both cam members. 1 These members are each' of substantially the formshown in'Fig. 6, and they are mounted to rotate both in unison and also with reference toeach other so that the relationship of the-high andlowportions of the cams can'be changed. These parts'are showninFig. 4' in substantially thejr'elationship they occupy at the'beginning of ther'einforcing operation, and it will be seenthat'theinclined' ends'22' and 23 of the high'portions of the cams *are'separa'ted by a very short distance or gap'intowhch they roll 22 may. drop momentarily. The cam members: are

ing circular knitting and the ratchet wheels and cams rotate with it. Secured to the forward end of the shaft 27 is a frame or spider'28 having a' long slot 30 in one arm thereof. A slide 31 is mounted to reciprocate in this slot and has pawls 32 and 33 pivoted to its upper end and arranged to engage, respectively, with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 24 and 25. A coiled spring 34 connects the two pawls and tends to draw them toward each other. Pivoted at 35 on the slide 31 is a latch 36 having a shoulder which normally engages a pin 37 fastened in the upper end of the frame" 28. Aspring 38 connects the pin and the latch in such a manner that it performs'the double function of holding the latch normally against the pin and also of drawing the slide 31 toward the outer end of the slot 30, this movement, however, being limited by the latch 86 and pin 37.

For the purpose of producing an inward movement of the slide 31, a pinion 40 is mounted on a stud 41 co-axially with'the-shaft 2'7 and is secured to the end of an arm 42. This arm is held against rotation by a pin 43 projecting from the machine frame. Meshing with the pinion 40 is a gear 44 mounted on a stud 45 which is supported by a strap 46 secured to the'frame 28. A can't 4'? is secured to the back of this gear and is ar ranged toengage a roll 48 mounted on the lower end of the slide 31.

As above stated, the frame 28 rotates with the shaft 27, and since the pinion 40 is held against rotation, the bodily rotation of the gear 44 with i the frame 28 will compel this gearto rotate on its own axis. This revolves the cam 47 and causes it to depress the slide 31 .once during two revolutionsof the frame. 1 The spring 38 returns theslide again to its initial position. This reciprocation of the slide operates the pawls- 32 and 33 and causes'them to rotate the ratchet wheels 24 and 25 step by-step in opposite directions, and thus to gradually change the relationship ofthe cam members 20 and 21 with reference to each other.

In order to avoid the necessity of making the teeth of the ratchets or pawls 32 and 33 extremely small, or else of making the teeth of the ratchet wheels very fine, pawls 32' and 33', each half a tooth shorter than the pawls 32 and 33, are located, respectively, immediately behind the latter pawls and are connected by a coiled spring 50. ficient to bring theindividual pawls of each pair alternately into operation, so that each ratchet wheel is moved half a tooth at each reciprocation of the slide. Spring clamps 51-51, screwed to the frame 28, bear against the two ratchet wheels and exert enough frictional resistance to their movement to hold them in adjusted relationship.

It will now be understood that as the shaft 27 rotates, the cam members 20 and 31 rotate with it, and that so long as theroll 22on the end of the lever 16 rides on the high portions of these cam members, the connections between the roll 22 and the thread feeding finger 4 will hold this device The movement of the slide 31 is only suf-- forward in its inoperative position. As soon asthe roll 22 drops into the gap between the inclined surfaces 22 and 23 of the cam members, the spring 6 immediately pulls the thread feeding finger 4 back into its operative position. The length of time that the finger remains in this position depends on the width of the gap between thesurfaces 22' and 23. This gap is gradually widened by the step by step rotation of the ratchet wheels, as has been explained above, so that the niunber of needles to which the reinforcing thread will be fed is gradually increased until approximately half of the entire circular series of needles is supplied with reinforcing thread. Usually the operating mechanism for the thread feeding device 4 is so timed that the number of needles to which reinforcing thread is fed is increased in each successive knitting course until the maximum number is reached. This arrangement can be changed, however, by suitable timing so that the increase in the number of needles supplied with reinforcing thread will be made in every other course, or various other combinations can be worked out. The length of the reinforcement is, however, increased in adjacent courses, the increase preferably being the same at each side of the median line at the back of the leg. The splice formed thus is tapered gradually from the desired point at the back of the ankle to the top of the heel. Usually this reinforcement is carried through the lower part of the foot.

The: movement of the ratchet wheels may be interrupted at any desired point by cutting out a tooth in each wheel, as indicated, for instance, at 53-53, Fig.4. In order to initiate this ratcheting-movement again, a disk 55, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is mounted on the end of the pattern drum shaft 56 and a pin 57 carried by this disk is arranged to engagethe lower end of a lever 58. The rock ing movement produced by such engagement swings this lever far enough to carry a roll 60 onthe upper end of the lever into the path of the latch 36. The frame28 normally rotatesin a counterclockwise direction, Fig; 2, and when latch 36 is'reengaged with the pin 37 by the" spring 33 during the first inward movement of the.

slide just described.

The disk is under the control of the pattern Upon mechanism of the machine so that the point at which the ratcheting action is resumed can'be varied at will simply by locating a pin 5'7 properly in the disk. Obviously any desired number of pins may be mounted in the disk 55.

The machine to which this mechanism is applied is equipped with a pattern drum 62, Fig. 2,

mounted at the head of the machine. Mechanism is provided to enable this drum to control the reinforcing thread feeding finger 4. For this purpose two lugs 63 and 64 are mounted-on the drum 62, and the lug63 is arranged to engage the lower end of a lever 65 and tip it backwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 At other times the lever is held forward by a spring 66, and at such times it acts through a slide or bar 6'7, the forward end of which bears against the thread feeding device 4, to hold this device in itsi-inoperativeposition. when the 'leverefi is tippedbackwardiygit' 'acts through a spz' ing sii to draw the bar 67backwa;rdiy;" '1heliig' 64 is air ranged to engagea bell crank lever-flo,fulcrumed atIO, and havingan -arm adapted to bearagainst apin 71 which projects lateraliy from the arm B This moves I the armii -forward and "carries the lever i forward-into-position'to operatethe thread feeding finger 4..- Itwill thus be-observed that the drum '62 assumes primary control over the thread feeding device 4 amI-thatthe Operating mechanism previously described for" this device is permitted to act on it -only-whemthe lugs 63 and 64 engage their respective levers- '65: and 7-0..

"After the cams '20-'and 2mm been rotated into position to-effect a reinforcement of the ma imum width, it is-necess ary before another high splicecan hammers-return the cams to their initial relationship, substantially as shown in Fig. 4. This action occurs after the splice has been completed and while the machine is knitting the leg portion of another stocking, the necessary ratcheting action being initiated through a pin 57, properly placed on the disk 55,'and being interrupted again when the cams have'been returned to their proper relationship by cut-out teeth in the ratchet wheels.

It will now be appreciated that this invention provides a simple and reliable mechanism for automatically producing a tapered splice or reinforcement. The mechanism can be manufactured very economically and is readily adaptable to the diiferent conditions encountered in the knitting of hosiery.

While I have herein shown and described the best embodiment of the invention that I have so far devised, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to embodiment in the particular form shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

i 1. Ina hosiery kniting machine, the combination with a reinforcing threadfeeding means, of mechanism for determining the number of needles to which said thread will be fed in each knitting course, comprising two rotary cam members jointly controlling the action of said thread feeding means and means to effect a gradual change in their relation to each other during the knitting of the reinforcement.

2. In a hosiery lmitting machine, the combination with a reinforcing thread feeding means, of mechanism for determining the number of needles to which said thread will be fed in each knitting course, comprising two rotary cam members jointly controlling the action of said thread feeding means, and mechanism for gradually changing the circumferential relationship of said members to each other as the knitting operation progresses.

3. In a hosiery knitting machine, the combination with a reinforcing thread feeding means, of mechanism for determining the number of needles to which said thread will be fed in each knitting course, comprising two rotary cam members arranged to act jointly on said means, and mechanism for effecting a step by step change in the circumferential relationship of said members to each other as the knitting operation progresses.

4. In a hosiery knitting machine, the combination with a reinforcing thread feeding device, of

mechanism for controlling the period of opera: tion of said device in each knitting course com-v prising two rotary cam members jointly controlling said device, and mechanism for gradually 3 changing th'e circumferential relationship'of said members to each otherasthe 5 knitting operation os'iery knitting machine, the combination with a reinforcing; 'thre'adffeeding' device; of mechanism for' operating: said device to vary th ength'of the reinforcement in adjacent courses; comprising two-rotary camfmembers, connections arrange'dtobe operated-jointly by said membersfor nioving?-said-device, and mechanism for relatively' ro-tating said cam mem bersto gradually change their action on said dficefi. ,e I I, I I

.' 6l I-n -=a hosiery kn'i itti g machinei the combinationv' i'th a-;reinforcin hread feeding device, of-mechanism for operating said device to vary lengthot the reinforcement in adjacentv courses, '-'-comprising'= two rotarycam member's; connections arrangedto be operated jointly by said members for moving said device, and mechanism for giving said members an operative rotary movement and for gradually changing their relationship to each other.

7. In a hosiery knitting machine, the combination with a reinforcing thread feeding device, of mechanism for operating said device to vary the length of the reinforcement in adjacent courses, comprising two rotary cam members, connections arranged to be operated jointly by said membersjfor moving said device, mechanism for rotating said members in unison, and additional means forgiving said members a relative rotative movement to change their relationship to each other. v

8. In a hosiery knitting machine, the combination with a reinforcing thread feeding device, of mechanism for operating said device to vary the length of the reinforcement in adjacent courses, comprising two rotary cam members, connections arranged to be operated jointly by said members for moving said device,'and additional means under the control of the pattern mechanism of the machine for oppositely rotating said cam members.

9. In a hosiery knitting machine, the combination of a reinforcing thread feeding device, of mechanism for operating said device comprising two rotary cam members mounted side by side, connections arranged to be operated by said cam members for moving said device from one of its positions to another, two ratchet wheels secured, respectively, to said members, and a pawl mechanism for rotating said wheels step by step in opposite directions.

10. In a hosiery knitting machine, the combination of a reinforcing thread feeding device, of mechanism for operating said device comprising two rotary cam members mounted side by side, connections arranged to be operated by said cam members for moving said device from one of its positions to another, two ratchet wheels secured, respectively, to said members,

a pawl mechanism for rotating said wheels step e pawl mechanism for rotating said wheels step-by step in opposite directions. and means for auto.- matically initiating the action of said pawl mechanism at a predetermined point in the cycleof operations ofthe machine. v 4 1 12. vIn a hosieryknitting machine,- thecombination with a reinforcing thread feeding device, of mechanism for operating said device to vary the length of the reinforcement in adjacent courses, comprising two rotary cam members, connections arranged tobe operated jointly by said members for moving said device from one of its positions to the other, mechanism for,rela tively rotatingsaid cammembers to gradually change their relationship to each other, means whereby the relativerotation of said cam members may be started and: stopped automatically at any desired points in the cycle of. operations of the-machine, and additionalmechanism under the control-of the patternm'echanism of the machine or-operating said device.

l3. A' circular-lmitting machine having needlesandyarn guidesincluding a splicing yarn guide, movable to and from feeding'p'osition in combination with a variable cam controlling the movement-of the splicing yarn guide, said cam comprising two circumferentially movable members and feeddevices to move said members in opposite directions.

14. -Acircu1ar knitting machine,- having needles and yamguidesdncluding a splicing yarn guide in combination with-avariable cam controlling thersplicing yarn guide, said cam comprising two cam disks and feed devices to turn said' disksvin opposite directions. 1

- Y .ALBERT E. STEWART. 

